Air and gas separator for descending water



Nov. 21, 1967 A, P. CARROLL 3,353,494

AIR AND GAS SEPARATOR FOR DESCENDING WATER Filed April 11, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l oooooqo o gooooooooo oooooooooo OOOQOOOOOOO OOOOOOQOOOO OOOQOOOOOOO 00 oooooooo INVENTOR. 9 When P (arm/Z zdWia/M Nov. 21, 1967 v A. P. CARROLL 3,353,494

AIR AND GAS SEPARATOR FOR DESCENDING WATER Filed April 11, 19 66 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1:15-2 A gm 9 I United States Patent 3,353,494 AIR AND GAS SEPARATGR FOR DESCENDING WATER Albert P. Carroll, 1630 Paloma Sh, Stockton, Calif. 95207 Filed Apr. 11, 1066, Ser. No. 541,665 Claims. (Cl. 103-203) This invention relates in general to a device for separating air and gas from water in a Well prior to entry of the water into a turbine pump in such well; the substantial separation of the air and gas from the water being necessary to prevent loss of efficiency of the pump due to cavitation or other similar factors.

In a cased well into which water flows through perforations in the casing above the intake and bowl assembly of the pump, the water descending to the intake is frequently highly aerated due to the water falling in the well from above the water level therein. Also, water preladened with air or gas in suspension may enter the well through the perforations in the casing either above or below such water level but above the intake of the pump.

It is the problem of such descending water-carrying excessive air or gas, or bothto which the present invention is particularly directed.

The major object of the present invention is to provide a novel device, adapted to be mounted on the pump column above the intake and bowl assembly, which is operative-automatically-to cause a separation of the undesirable excessive air and gas from the descending water and to vent the separated air and gas into the well a distance above the water level therein.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a device, as in the preceding paragraph, which includes a seal engaged between the well casing and a cylindrical housing surrounding the pump column in spaced relation thereto; the seal blocking direct downflow of the descending water, and the housing-which is 1 closed at its ends with the pump column-having metering holes therein in an array which causes the descending water to traverse a circuitous path at a reduced flow rate whereby entrained air and gas escapes upward from the Water for venting to a point above the water level in the well.

An additional important object of this invention is to provide, in association with the pump column surrounding housing, a novel arrangement for so venting the escaping air and gas.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an air and gas separator for descending water which includes novel means to efiectively secure the well casing engaging seal in connection with said pump column surrounding housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air and gas separator for descending water which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and convenience of installation on a pump column.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable air and gas separator for descending Water and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the device in place on a pump column in a cased well.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan on line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the present invention is adapted for use in association with the column of a turbine pump in a well having a casing 1; such column includingin the length thereof and above the conventional intake and bowl assemblysections 2 and 3 connected together at adjacent ends by a coupling 4. As usual, the pump drive shaft 5 is surrounded by an oil tube 6; the water-as pumpedflowing upwardly in the space between said tube and column.

The device of the present invention comprises a vertically elongated cylindrical or tubular housing 7 concentrically surrounding section 2 of the column above the coupling 4; such housing 7-except at the ends being of greater diameter than said column section 2 but of lesser diameter than the well casing 1 whereby the housing is substantially spaced from said column section and casing.

The extreme lower portion of the housing 7 is formed with an integral, inverted, frusto-conical foot 8 which reduces the inside diameter of said housing at its lower end to substantially the outside diameter of the column section 2; said foot seating on the coupling 4 and in effect providing a closure at the bottom of the housing.

The extreme upper portion of the housing 7 is formed With an integral, frusto-conical neck 9 which reduces the inside diameter of said housing at its upper end to substantially the outside diameter of the column section 2; said end being engaged from above by a clamp-type hold-down collar 10 secured on such section. A resilient, annular seal 11 is engaged under compression between the upper end of the housing 7 and the hold-down collar 10.

As engaged between the coupling d and collar 10, the housing 7 is maintained in place on the pump column; i.e. cannot shift vertically on the column section 2.

The housing 7 preferably comprises two initially separate longitudinal sections; the upper and lower sections being indicated at 12 and 13, respectively. At their adjacent ends the housing sections 12 and 13 are provided with annular, radially outwardly extending, matching flanges 14 and 15, respectively; such flanges terminating at their peripheries adjacent but short of the well casing 1.

A resilient annular seal 16 (preferably of Neoprene or similar material) is engaged under compression between the flanges 14 and 15; the assembly of said flanges and seal being connected together by a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolts 17 which also serve to secure the housing sections 12 and 13 in unitary relation.

The annular seal 16 is of an outside diameter such that it extends at the periphery beyond the flanges 14 and 15 and sufiicient to firmly bear against the well casing 1. Thus, when the device is in place in a cased well, the seal 16 blocks direct down-flow of water descending in the well from above said seal; the purpose of such blocking being hereinafter described.

A multiplicity of triangular, circumferentially spaced gussets 18 are secured between each of the flanges 14 and 15 and the adjacent wall of the housing sections 12 and 13, respectively. The gussets 18 not only strengthen and stabilize the flanges, but also :act as deflectors to assure against the flanges 14 and 15 hooking or catching on any possible broken joint or tear in the well casing when the device is inserted in or removed from the well by the pump column.

Fora major portion of the length thereof the upper section 12 and the lower section 13 of the cylindrical housing 7 are formed with a multiplicity of relatively small metering holes 19 and 20, respectively; such metering holes being in an array wherein the holes in each section of the housing are in vertically spaced, circumferential rows. The combined area of the metering holes 19 is somewhat greater than the combined area of the metering holes 20.

The cylindrical housing 7-when in place on the column section 2-forms, between said housing and section, an enclosed primary separator chamber 21 of substantial vertical extent. Also, a secondary separator chamber 22 is formed below the seal 16 between the housing section 13 and the well casing 1.

A plurality of circumferentially spaced vent pipes 23 extend at their lower ends through the assembly of flanges 14 and 15 and seal 16 to communication with the secondary separator chamber 22 at the top thereof. Above the flange 14 the vent pipes 23 upstand alongside the housing section 12 and enter the same adjacent but below the neck 9; the vent pipes 23 thus opening into the primary separator chamber 21 at a high point therein.

A plurality of other circumferentially spaced vent pipes 24 are connected at their lower endsby fittings 25 opening through the neck 9in communication with the primary separator chamber 21 at the top thereof. From the fittings 25, the vent pipes 24 extend upwardly to a point at least above the water level in the well or, if desired, to the well head.

The inverted, frusto-conical foot 8 includes a small number of circumferentially spaced drain holes 26 whose purpose is to permit sand or the like to flush out of the bottom of the primary separator chamber 21 rather than undesirably accumulating therein.

Operation As the water descends in the well from above the present device (which is set below the water level in said well), direct down-flow is blocked by the seal 16; this, in itself, causing some of the entrained air and gas to rise directly in the casing 1 and escape from the surface of the water in the well. With direct down-flow of the water so blocked, it must pass through the metering holes 19 in the upper section 12 of the housing 7. Upon passing through said metering holes 19, the water has not only made a ninety degree change of direction but is broken into small streams; both of these factors initiating a de.

celeration of the rate of flow of the water.

Thereafter, the water-again making a ninety degree change of direction-fiows downward in the primary separator chamber 21 and thencemaking another ninety degree change of direction-flows out of the housing through the metering holes 20 in the lower section 13; this further decelerating the rate of flow of the water. Such deceleration is additionally assured by reason of the fact that the metering holes 20 are of a total area less than the total area of metering holes 19.

As the water follows the above described circuitous course, and under conditions of deceleration, much of the air and gas entrained in the water rises to and escapes upwardly from the surface thereof in the primary separator chamber 21; the air and gaswhich thus escapes-then entering the vent pipes 24 and passing upwardly therein for venting above the level of the water in the well.

Also, the water flowing out of the housing through the metering holes 20 in the lower section 13, makes still another ninety degree turn in order to continue downward in the secondary separator chamber 22. When this occurs, any air or gas remaining in the water tends to percolate to the top of said chamber 22 and escape upwardly through the vent pipes 23. Air and gas from such vent pipes 23 passes into the top of the primary separator chamber 21 and is carried off by the vent pipes 24. If desired, the vent pipes 23 can extend upwardly-without communicating with the primary separator chamber 21 to a point above the water level in the well.

With the described device functioning in the manner as contemplated above, undesirable air and gas entrained in water descending in a well can be effectively separated and vented away prior to the water entering the intake and bowls of the pump.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such an air and gas separator for descending water as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the air and gas separator for descending water, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired.

1. An air and gas separator for water descending in a well between a casing and a pump column, comprising a tubular housing surrounding the column, the housing for a major portion of its length being of greater diameter than and spaced from the column to define a separator chamber therebetween, ends on the housing substantially closing with the column, means securing the housing against displacement along the column, the housing being of lesser diameter than and spaced from the well casing, means on the housing intermediate its ends closing the space between said housing and casing whereby to block direct down-flow in such space of descending water, a multiplicity of metering holes in the housing above said closure means, a multiplicity of other metering holes in the housing below said closure means, and a vent pipe communicating with the top of said separator chamber and extending upwardly from the housing.

2. An air and gas separator, as in claim 1, in which the lower end of the housing is an inverted, frusto-conical foot, the column including a coupling on which said foot is seated, and the upper end of the housing being a frustoconical neck; said housing-securing means being a holddown collar on the column immediately above such neck.

3. An air and gas separator, as in claim 2, including a seal engaged between the neck and collar.

4. An air and gas separator, as in claim 1, in which the space below said closure means and between the housing and easing defines a secondary separator chamber with which said other metering holes communicate; there being another vent pipe communicating with the top of such secondary separator chamber and extending through and upwardly from said closure means.

5. An air and gas separator, as in claim 4, in which said other vent pipe is connected at its upper end with the housing in communication with the top of the separator chamber therein.

6. An air and gas separator, as in claim 1, in which said closure means includes an annular seal surrounding the housing and extending radially into engagement with the casing, and a seal retention assembly on the housing.

7. An air and gas separator, as in claim 6, in which the retention assembly includes annular radially extending flanges on the housing, the seal being engaged between such flanges, and circumferentially spaced bolts connecting the flanges.

8. An air and gas separator, as in claim 7, including a plurality of circumferentially spaced triangular gussets fixed between each flange and the adjacent wall of the housing.

9. An air and gas separator, as in claim 1, in which the housing comprises initially separate upper and lower sections each of substantial length, the first named metering holes and said other metering holes being in the upper and lower sections, respectively; the closure means including an annular seal, the sections being disposed with adjacent ends in alined relation, the seal surrounding the housing at said adjacent ends of the sections, annular radial flanges 5 6 on said adjacent ends of the sections, the seal being dis- References Cited posed between the flanges but extending radially there- UNITED STATES PATENTS beyond into engagement with the well casing, and circum- 1 1 h a 1,207,689 12/1916 Hahn 103-203 X ferentia 1y spaced bots connecting t e H nges 2,013,112 9/1935 Scott 103 203 X 10. An air and gas separator, as in claim 1, in which 5 the combined area of said other metering holes is less than the combined area of said first named metering holes. ROBERT WALKER P'lmary Examiner 

1. AN AIR AND GAS SEPARATOR FOR WATER DESCENDING IN A WELL BETWEEN A CASING AND A PUMP COLUMN, COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOUSING SURROUNDING THE COLUMN, THE HOUSING FOR A MAJOR PORTION OF ITS LENGTH BEING OF GREATER DIAMETER THAN AND SPACED FROM THE COLUMN TO DEFINE A SEPARATOR CHAMBER THEREBETWEEN, ENDS ON THE HOUSING SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSING WITH THE COLUMN, MEANS SECURING THE HOUSING AGAINST DISPLACEMENT ALONG THE COLUMN, THE HOUSING BEING OF LESSER DIAMETER THAN AND SPACED FROM THE WELL CASING, MEANS ON THE HOUSING INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS CLOSING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND CAUSING WHEREBY TO BLOCK DIRECT DOWN-FLOW IN SUCH SPACE OF DESCENDING WATER, A MULTIPLICITY OF METERING HOLES IN THE HOUSING ABOVE SAID CLOSURE MEANS, A MULTIPLICITY OF OTHER METERING HOLES IN THE HOUSING BELOW SAID CLOSURE MEANS, AND A VENT PIPE COMMUNICATING WITH THE TOP OF SAID SEPARATOR CHAMBER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE HOUSING. 